Rap's resident mad scientist Kanye West is set to feature in a trilogy of Netflix documentaries titled Jeen-Yuhs.
The official teaser for the trilogy, set to be released on February 18, is here:
It shows a young, babyfaced Kanye (circa 2002) being miffed at fellow rapper Rhymefest.
Kanye says:
“Me and Fest got into argument, God I feel like he disrespected me, man. Say I wasn’t a genius yet."
Rhymefest retorts:
“But who are you to call yourself a genius?"
Kanye just smiles at the camera.
About Kanye West's Jeen-Yuhs: a "three-week global event, 21 years in the making"
The teaser solidifies the lore around the confidence of the rapper long before he was a household name. Many of his frequent collaborators have talked about Kanye's belief in himself, and his ability to live up to his words.
Earlier, in September last year, a two-minute clip of Kanye West and legendary New York rapper Mos Def trading verses on the song "Two Words" was released by Netflix.
Kanye's hunger and passion are clearly visible on this verse. His musical chops, even on his latest album Donda, are undeniable.
Previous sneak peeks of the much-hyped project have also included clips of West producing his 2004 debut album, The College Dropout.
'Ye', as he's sometimes called, is known for being immensely secretive about his process. For instance, he went on a self-imposed exile in Hawaii after his infamous VMAs moment in 2009. The exile led to My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy (2010), arguably considered his magnum opus.
Now the world will finally get a peek into the world of the artist.
Directors Clarence “Coodie” Simmons and Chike Ozah — also known as Coodie & Chike — have been stockpiling footage of the rapper and entrepreneur over the past two decades, which have seen Kanye rise from a fledgling producer to one of hip-hop's foremost pioneers.
Although Kanye West isn't directly involved with the documentary, it is implied that his consent was given to the director duo, merely by the unrestricted access they have had to his life for almost the entirity of his career.
“They doing a documentary on me right here,” Ye says in the teaser, pointing to the camera with a smirk. Almost as if he knew the footage would be prophetically important.
Kanye can assert the rare privilege of being a living legend. And this expansive documentary is only going to cement the legacy he has created.